The present invention relates to a flexible cover or boot for an opening which receives a pivoting windshield wiper.
Agricultural vehicles with cabs normally have a front windshield wiper pivotally mounted at a pivot point either in the roof or above the cowl/hood surface. For roof-mounted wipers, there is normally a hole in a horizontal surface of the roof. But, debris does not tend to pass through such a hole in a cab roof.
If the wiper pivot point is located below the cowl/hood surface, a large opening is required to accommodate the motion of the wiper arm. When the wiper is not in use, the arm is located to one side in a “park” position and a large portion of the opening will be uncovered. Debris can fall through this uncovered part of the opening and onto hot surfaces and vehicle control components located beneath the opening. The opening is large for the wiper arm motion and located in a highly visible area of the vehicle in the center of the cowl. If there is no cover over this opening, then hot air from under the hood will flow up the front windshield and place an additional heat load on the cab in the summer. An uncovered wiper hole in the cowl will not provide control for water, snow, dirt, or debris.
Such an opening cannot be covered by a conventional convoluted boot because such a boot will not permit the required range of wiper arm motion. The opening cannot be covered with a cover which moves in the opening with the wiper arm because accumulated dirt and ice can interfere with motion of the cover, and this could overload the wiper motor.